Absolute Minimal Salt Water Aquarium
- Thread starter mrg02d
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
mrg02d
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Hello,
How about washing with RO water or DI water? This stuff makes water look like milk! I took a spoonful and dumped it into a glass of water and SHEESH! I cant wait weeks for that to settle. If DI water will still kill the bacteria, how about saving a cup of the sand and washing the rest? (With DI water).
Matt
thominil
Aquarium Advice Addict
If the tank is full of saltwater, then dump all the sand in. It will clear up in a few days. Washing could kill the bacteria.
mrg02d
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Hello,
My tank is still empty. (Just got it today). I think I will wash the sand with some DI water. I will save a cup or two from washing to add in the tank. Im am ready to get this started already and just am not willing to have a milky water tank whenever something gets stirred up. :-(
Matt
My tank is still empty. (Just got it today). I think I will wash the sand with some DI water. I will save a cup or two from washing to add in the tank. Im am ready to get this started already and just am not willing to have a milky water tank whenever something gets stirred up. :-(
Matt
Kurt_Nelson
Aquarium Advice Addict
You won't have milky water everytime you stir the tank up. If you're that impatient this early, things are going to be tough... nothing good comes quick in a saltwater tank.
Personally... I think "live" bagged sand is all hogwash anyway, so regardless of whether or not it's washed, you better still plan on cycling the tank. And not just with the saved cup of sand.
Personally... I think "live" bagged sand is all hogwash anyway, so regardless of whether or not it's washed, you better still plan on cycling the tank. And not just with the saved cup of sand.
thincat
Aquarium Advice Addict
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I agree with all, Washing will remove or kill all the good bacteria that you paid so much for. But like Kurt said " the only thing that happens fast in a SW tank is mistakes and problems".
You will be surprised how fast the cloudy water disappears. Allot of it is CA anyway and will be taken up in the water column.
You will be surprised how fast the cloudy water disappears. Allot of it is CA anyway and will be taken up in the water column.
mrg02d
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Hmmm, so you really think the freshwater (DI) would kill the stuff? (If any anyways...wish I had a microscope)
Washing in salt water would be pricey. How about filtering with cheescloth or something similar such that I can reuse the salt water?
For example: I make up two gallons of saltwater and poor it into a large bucket with the sand. Stir up the sand and then poor off the milky water into another bucket through cheesecloth ( or a pillowcase maybe?). Then repeat until the sand is clean. This may not work depending on how fine this particulate matter may be...Small batches could be done this way with coffee filters.
Im not being impatient as much as just being quite eager to get the cycling process under way.
)) (Spent alot more $$$ than planned on better quality stuff, thus quite eager 
)
How about this "partial sand wash" idea I thought of: I could wash half the sand with tap water and just kill the "live" stuff off. Then I could put the other half (unwashed) on the bottom of the tank and then poor over the washed stuff on top to sort of shield the unwashed sand from the water? Might this prevent a milk cloud?
Its just that I dont want to spend any extra time on anything that isnt related to the cycling process. Seems this sand issue is a mechanical issue, thus any trick in the book ought to be justified. On the other hand, cylcing is a biological issue and time is simply the answer.
BTW_Got my tank. (Very pretty!) But the top is mostly acrylic. The light I got is much larger than the hole they made in the top for their puny crappy light fixture. I assume that acrylic doesnt filter much of the light since the light I bought has an acrylic strip covering the bulbs anyways. I will add some rubber feet to the light fixture (coralife) to keep it from slidding around on the slick top surface.
MAtt
Washing in salt water would be pricey. How about filtering with cheescloth or something similar such that I can reuse the salt water?
For example: I make up two gallons of saltwater and poor it into a large bucket with the sand. Stir up the sand and then poor off the milky water into another bucket through cheesecloth ( or a pillowcase maybe?). Then repeat until the sand is clean. This may not work depending on how fine this particulate matter may be...Small batches could be done this way with coffee filters.
Im not being impatient as much as just being quite eager to get the cycling process under way.
)) (Spent alot more $$$ than planned on better quality stuff, thus quite eager )How about this "partial sand wash" idea I thought of: I could wash half the sand with tap water and just kill the "live" stuff off. Then I could put the other half (unwashed) on the bottom of the tank and then poor over the washed stuff on top to sort of shield the unwashed sand from the water? Might this prevent a milk cloud?
Its just that I dont want to spend any extra time on anything that isnt related to the cycling process. Seems this sand issue is a mechanical issue, thus any trick in the book ought to be justified. On the other hand, cylcing is a biological issue and time is simply the answer.
BTW_Got my tank. (Very pretty!) But the top is mostly acrylic. The light I got is much larger than the hole they made in the top for their puny crappy light fixture. I assume that acrylic doesnt filter much of the light since the light I bought has an acrylic strip covering the bulbs anyways. I will add some rubber feet to the light fixture (coralife) to keep it from slidding around on the slick top surface.
MAtt
Why is it you insist on washing this sand? you say you payed extra money for better stuff but yet you want to kill the better stuff that came with the sand? im not understanding this, just poor the sand in the tank and start your cycle it will clear up and you wouldnt have wasted all the spent money... but your going to do what your going to do.. i can give you this advice, i listen to these guys and girls very carefully and did what was suggested and my tank cycled in less than 2 weeks, and FYI my water balance is perfect..
Matt
Matt
mrg02d
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Hello,
I want to wash it simply because this stuff is extremely messy. I took a small amount and dumped it into a glass, then poured some water into it. What a mess! It instantly turned to milk. As it sat, and water evaporated out of the glass, it left white residue all up and down the sides of the glass. This seems like it would equate to a HUGE mess in the tank. The seller included some instruction sheet claiming it needs to be washed before putting into the tank. Maybe I could ask him if he has success with this and not killing the stuff?
It was $20 for 30lbs, so not a bad deal. I thought that aragonite is the sand of choice and didnt think that would be sold at home depot or lowes.
Matt
I want to wash it simply because this stuff is extremely messy. I took a small amount and dumped it into a glass, then poured some water into it. What a mess! It instantly turned to milk. As it sat, and water evaporated out of the glass, it left white residue all up and down the sides of the glass. This seems like it would equate to a HUGE mess in the tank. The seller included some instruction sheet claiming it needs to be washed before putting into the tank. Maybe I could ask him if he has success with this and not killing the stuff?
It was $20 for 30lbs, so not a bad deal. I thought that aragonite is the sand of choice and didnt think that would be sold at home depot or lowes.
Matt
thincat
Aquarium Advice Addict
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I think "by washing the sand" he meant to just pour saltwater through it and then into the tank. I would Just pour it in and if you have a filter, just run it with a micron sleeve and that with clear the water.
mrg02d
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Yes, this is what I meant. I dont know how everyone else was taking it, but I simply want to remove the crap residue that the seller ought have removed from the get go and THEN seeded it with life. :-/
I dont have a filter. :-( I know it would be alot of work to filter with coffee filters, but I dont want to spend anymore money if I could do something myself. I guess the only deal is, will DI water kill the bacteria?
Matt
mrg02d
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Hello,
its just that I have read numerous threads about this cloudiness lasting a week or more. Especially with this argonite sand stuff. The stuff in the glass (I put a small amount of sand in a glass with water as an experiement) still hasnt settled even a bit in about 36 hours! One day is fine, but a week is just too long.
I will make up a gallon of salt water and rinse with this and coffee filters unless someone here thinks plain DI water would be just as fine?
Thanks,
Matt
its just that I have read numerous threads about this cloudiness lasting a week or more. Especially with this argonite sand stuff. The stuff in the glass (I put a small amount of sand in a glass with water as an experiement) still hasnt settled even a bit in about 36 hours! One day is fine, but a week is just too long.
I will make up a gallon of salt water and rinse with this and coffee filters unless someone here thinks plain DI water would be just as fine?
Thanks,
Matt
thincat
Aquarium Advice Addict
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Freshwater, DI or whatever will kill saltwater bacteria. That''s it...sorry
Exactly, it might last over a month. Nothing good happens fast in this hobby.
mrg02d
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Hello,
I will just put the sand in as is. Its going to take some time to figure out this live rock situation. :-(
$$$!!!!!
Most places want me to buy a minimum of 50lbs and have it shipped to me overnight! OUCH! I just need some 15-20lbs of live rock, right? I am going to try to work something out with some ebay sellers that live in my state. (Florida).
The only store in my town wants $6.00 /lb for what looks like DEAD rock. They call it Fiji Live rock, but it looks just like the dry stuff sitting on a shelf! Shouldnt it have stuff growing on it? I saw nothing. Nothing like what I see in the online store pictures.
Sheesh....
So yea, I will put the sand into the tank and then pour in the salt water slowly and hope for the best while I wait for this live rock issue to sort out.
Anyone have any favorite sites with decent prices? I was going to go the dead rock + a small amount of live rock route, but the shipping is about 25$ for even a 1 lb piece of live rock. Seems it would be better to get someone to sell me a small quantity of live rock (20lbs). The pet store had base rock for about $3.00 per lb which seems high!
Matt
I will just put the sand in as is. Its going to take some time to figure out this live rock situation. :-(
$$$!!!!!
Most places want me to buy a minimum of 50lbs and have it shipped to me overnight! OUCH! I just need some 15-20lbs of live rock, right? I am going to try to work something out with some ebay sellers that live in my state. (Florida).
The only store in my town wants $6.00 /lb for what looks like DEAD rock. They call it Fiji Live rock, but it looks just like the dry stuff sitting on a shelf! Shouldnt it have stuff growing on it? I saw nothing. Nothing like what I see in the online store pictures.
Sheesh....
So yea, I will put the sand into the tank and then pour in the salt water slowly and hope for the best while I wait for this live rock issue to sort out.
Anyone have any favorite sites with decent prices? I was going to go the dead rock + a small amount of live rock route, but the shipping is about 25$ for even a 1 lb piece of live rock. Seems it would be better to get someone to sell me a small quantity of live rock (20lbs). The pet store had base rock for about $3.00 per lb which seems high!
Matt
thominil
Aquarium Advice Addict
$6.00 a pound isn't bad..... I payed $8.00 a pound and got 8 pounds and seeded with about 15 pounds of br at $2.50 a pound. Try marcorocks.com.
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